10 tech trends to watch for 2020 events

Many advances in event technology have occurred in the past five years, but with the rate that technology evolves, it’s almost impossible to keep up with what the industry’s doing, let alone what it could be doing.

While chatbots, event apps and digital privacy are still top of mind, the new year will see technology transforming itself in new and innovative ways. It will see much-anticipated technologies come to fruition—faster internet, facial recognition and augmented reality are only going to become more mainstream.

Want to keep up? Here are 10 tech trends to follow in 2020.

5G for everyone

Several telecommunications companies began rolling out the highly anticipated 5G cellular network technology this year, but access to it remains limited. That’s expected to change in the new year as this next generation of mobile broadband starts to replace 4G LTE connection. What does this mean for planners? While 4G LTE made mobile internet speeds about 500 times faster than 3G (with a peak speed of 1 GB per second), 5G is expected to achieve speeds that are 20 times that. The upshot? Planners and their attendees will experience much faster download and upload speeds, making connectivity less of a concern at events. In addition, some of the popular tech trends such as 3D technology and virtual reality will be easier for planners to implement.

Drones for security

The Federal Aviation Administration predicts that 7 million drones will fly by next year. That’s nearly three times as many since 2016. Planners can expect drones to help at events in several ways. First, if internet speed is a problem (before 5G becomes mainstream, of course), drones can provide mobile hotspots that will make a big difference. Second, drones can fly over the event space, providing aerial monitoring that allows for better security. These flyover devices can be used to take some amazing photos or video of the event for future marketing or to simply give to attendees as a take-home gift.

There’s an app for that

As event apps become more of an expectation than a bonus, planners are focusing even more on the user experience. Tools like Guidebook make building an event app easy, but making the app organized and branded to your company or event is key. You can do this by first prioritizing your information—typically starting with the schedule or a map for wayfinding—and keeping the main menu simple. You can always create subsections or hyperlink to subpages to list less important information. In a similar vein, use a basic color palette that represents your brand but avoids distractions for the user. Lastly, make sure to incorporate real-time notifications that can provide updates to attendees on scheduling or location changes. In-app surveys and polls are a great way to connect with them on-site.

Chatbots come in handy

Chatbots have become mainstream in daily lives. (Think Alexa or Amazon Echo). They’re even used in the hotel industry; robot concierges have become common at upscale properties. They’re also creeping into the events industry, and they’re much easier to use than people may think. By using an AI-powered program such as Google’s Dialogflow, planners can create a basic chatbot that can be integrated into a corporate website or event app. This can be especially helpful in answering basic questions that attendees might have before, during or after an event—freeing up time for planners and event staff.

Automated check-in

Even midsize corporate events can experience a bottleneck during their event check-in, leaving people hungry and thirsty as they wait 20 minutes outside the event venue to get inside. Enter automated check-in. While automated check-in terminals are certainly helpful for larger events, guest list check-in apps for smaller ones can still help reduce wait times. Facial recognition technologies also are slowly being implemented as the fastest ways that attendees can check in—if, of course, they’re willing to let their faces be scanned.

Speaking of automation

Being an event planner comes with its fair share of stress—so much so that Forbes listed it as the fifth most stressful job of 2017, ranking it just after being a police officer. The most common reason? Planners often find themselves strapped for both time and resources. Luckily, technology is coming to the rescue as event management systems continue to offer new ways to automate more menial tasks, such as registration, email promotions, social media marketing and surveys. If you haven’t automated these tasks yet, look for one event management software that can automate all these things into a single platform and integrate with other business tools you may be using for accounting, marketing and the like. Whova, Cvent, GEVME and DoubleDutch are just a few examples to get started.

Data, data, data

If your company has yet to catch onto the data trend, it had better act fast—some tech experts say any company that isn’t investing in data next year could be out of business by 2021. More companies are using analytics tools to meet the needs of their clients. This includes event planners. While post-event surveys are helpful, why not capture data in real time? Simple geolocation data can help personalize the event experience by highlighting certain activities that an attendee should check out nearby. It can quickly help solve real-time event problems, such as high-traffic situations that can be highlighted when too many people are in a certain area at a given time.

Digital privacy

While data are key to having a competitive edge, digital privacy is equally important, especially as the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation took effect last year. Several states are passing similar legislation—most notably, the California Consumer Privacy Act, which goes into effect in January 2020—that requires businesses to provide a general disclosure when collecting any type of personal information. If an event requires collecting personal information from attendees, planners must sure they’re up-to-date on whatever digital privacy laws will be rolled out in the new year. Remember: Attendees like transparency.

Augmented reality experiences

Technology doesn’t have to be all about business; it can be used to create interactive experiences and activities at an event. If the popularity of Pokemon GO taught people anything, it’s that they can really have fun with augmented reality. The College Football Playoff organization did just this on a large scale at its 2018 championship game in Atlanta. By creating a location-based AR component in its event app, fans were able to use their smartphones to scan interactive experiences with content related to sponsors, the game and even the venue. One example was a selfie experience taken with a Dos Equis beverage. Another way to use AR is by enhancing live music at an event. Through your event app, you can add unique effects like when Eminem’s performance at Coachella introduced Eminem Augmented, where audience members saw a Godzilla-sized Marshall Mathers tearing down buildings and a floating Jason mask with a chain saw cutting into the crowd — something they are not likely to forget.

Projection mapping

Another fun way to integrate technology into an event is through projection mapping. It produces another kind of AR experience for attendees by using projectors that light up everything from sculptures to stages to simply walls and ceilings to create 3D interactive displays. For example, maybe an “enchanted garden” is the theme of an event. A planner could use projection mapping to create the optical illusion of a lifelike stream or of flowers blooming. The options are endless if the right A/V company helps bring the vision to life.

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